Losing the debate, says Ted Strickland

By
Jennifer Rubin

Former Ohio Gov.Ted Strickland declared, in reference to the argument on extending only the Bush tax cuts for middle-income taxpayers, "I mean if we can't win that argument, we might as well fold up." Well, I couldn't agree more. And, in fact, the Democrats have not been able to engage the public or round up a congressional majority for their class warfare gambit. That, you will recall, was the White House strategy before the election, but Speaker Nancy Pelosi couldn't round up the votes. The voters knew full well the positions of the parties: Democrats wanted to sock it to upper-income taxpayers, including small business, and Republicans thought it loopy to raise taxes on anyone in a recession. The election answered that question rather decisively. Now even the White House has relented and is overseeing a deal to extend all the cuts, at least temporarily. So what of Strickland's call? Well, I think it a bit harsh to call for the dissolution of an entire political party. But the voters did send a good many of the them packing.

Wow. Have all Republican women been Palinized? I don't have a problem with getting the Rebuplican true-believer point of view -- helps to better inform my own viewpoints -- but this woman is venomous. I've spent part of my morning reading the entries in her blog and she doesn't really present any arguments, just middle-school mean-girl taunts. As a woman, I'm embarrassed for her. Wa-Po, you've really lowered the bar with this one.

Wow. Have all Republican women been Palinized? I don't have a problem with getting the Rebuplican true-believer point of view -- helps to better inform my own viewpoints -- but this woman is venomous. I've spent part of my morning reading the entries in her blog and she doesn't really present any arguments, just middle-school mean-girl taunts. As a woman, I'm embarrassed for her. Wa-Po, you've really lowered the bar with this one.

Totally agree Jennifer. The problem for the Democrat machine in Washington is major leftist media like NY Times, WaPost etc. don't have the sway they used to. There's nothing bipartisan about the Left and more folks are aware and sick of the authoritarian arrogant manipulation.

"But right now, we've got a choice between a Republican Party that has moved to the right of George Bush and is looking to lock in the same policies that got us into these disasters in the first place, versus an administration that, with some admitted warts, has been the most successful administration in a generation in moving progressive agendas forward."

"But if people now want to take their ball and go home, that tells me folks weren't serious in the first place.

If you're serious, now's exactly the time that people have to step up"

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/17390/209395?RS_show_page=6

The entire refrain from Democrats leading up to the election was that it was a choice, not a referendum.

They'll temporarily extend all the cuts for a couple of years. The Democrats have zero confidence the economy will be much better in 2012 and they don't want to hand the Republicans the club to beat them with.

Of course the Democrats are working furiously on the voter's #1,#2, and #3 worries that keep them up at night - START, DREAM, and DADT.

Salpence1: I don't think chilbard is sharp enough to get your point! It is going to be interesting, instructive and, dare I say, fun reading the Lefties responses to Ms Rubin's analyses, reporting and comments. Typical responses will likely be, as chilbard demonstrates, ad hominem attacks and lots of sputtering.

Just so you understand,I've been Blogging with John Podhoretz and his staff at Contentions since 2001. Ms Rubin will put out ten posts a day,but will never respond to any comments on her posts. Why?,you can ask her,but,it is unlikely that she will respond. She makes the same points continuously,(as a Boxer,she would be a Sonny Liston) Here are her points:
(1)Israel Good/Muslim countries bad
Jews good-Muslims bad
(2)Bomb Bomb Iran
(3)Critics of Israel,JR,or the NeoCons/Antisemites
(4)Bush good/Obama bad
(5)Privatze Social Security&Medicare/Good
Social Security&Medicare/Bad
(6)Outsourcing,"Free" Trade,Low Labor costs,/Good
Insourcing,Balanced Trade dollars,Good Incomes/Very Bad
(7)Social Safety Nets/Horrible
Use of Charity for safety net/Good
Many variations on the above themes.

All the gnashing of teeth from the leftists that hang out here is another bit of proof that the Democrats completely lost the argument, not just on tax rates but also with the deficit commission. All there gnashing of teeth there is falling on deaf ears since most people know that everyone is going to take a hit, not just the rich and the military.

"The entire refrain from Democrats leading up to the election was that it was a choice, not a referendum."

So you think the Democrats "framed" the dialog of the election and the voters answered? So that validates the entirety of the Republican project? The voters had their own messages to deliver, and among independents the over-taxation of the wealthy was not on the list.